Toilet seat



jam 3,1950 5. 'R I 2,493,362

TOILET SEAT Filed Jan. 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q20 mmvron \\\\\\"\\m\\\\\% By ELMER ROCKER FIG.6

ATTORNEY Jam, {3,1950 2;. ROCKER 2,493,362

TOILET SEAT Filed Jan. 30;, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lli A TTOENEY Patented Jan. 3, 1950 TOILET SEAT Elmer Rocker, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to Century Plastic Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application January 30, 1947, Serial No. 725,247

2 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to toilet seats and toilet seat covers, but has reference more particularly to seats and covers of the plastic molded type.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat which is extremely light in weight, yet of rugged and durable construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat of the character described, having reinforcing ribs of special design and dimensions, through the use of which shrinkage marks in cooling are avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat of the character described, having reinforcing ribs designed to substantially prevent or eliminate warping of the seat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat of the character described, consisting of a minimum number of molded parts which can be quickly and easily assembled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a toilet seat embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the upper member or portion of the toilet seat;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower member or portion of the toilet seat;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, at substantially full-size scale, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, at substantially full-size scale, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, at substantially full-size scale, taken on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of a toilet seat cover embodying my invention;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the upper member or portion of the toilet seat cover;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the lower member or portion of the toilet seat cover;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, at substantially full-size scale, taken on the line III-I0 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view,

at substantially full-size scale, taken along the line I0I0 of Fig. '7, but of the lower member alone, and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, at substantially full-size scale, taken along the line III-I0 of Fig. '7, but of the lower member alone.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawing, it will be seen that a toilet seat made in accordance with the invention comprises an upper portion or member I and a lower portion or member 2, cemented together, as at 3. the members being separately moulded or cast from plastics such as ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose propinate, etc.

The upper portion or member I is made hollow, and of a thickness t of the order of about whereby its weight and the amount of plastic employed in molding the same is materially reduced.

For the purpose of strengthening the upper portion I, it is provided with a multiplicity of circumferentially-spaced ribs 4, which extend substantially radially of the member I, and are of truss-like form or contour, i. e., of inverted V-form (see Fig. 4). These ribs are relatively thin, as compared with the thickness of the member I of the seat, and are relatively shallow in depth, terminating considerably above a plane defined by the lower edges of the member I. They are formed integrally with the member I and their thickness varies, decreasing in thickness from the base 1) thereof to the free edge f thereof. The thickness of the ribs 4, at the base thereof is preferably no greater than three-fourths of the thickness t of the member I. By utilizing ribs of such form or design and thickness, I find that I can virtually eliminate shrinkage marks on the upper surface of the member I, which shrinkage marks are often found in plastic articles made by injection molding utilizing strengthening ribs of greater thickness and depth.

For the purpose of further strengthening the member I, I provide, along the sides of the member I, ribs 5 which extend substantially transversely of and intersect some of the ribs 4. These ribs 5 are of approximately the same depth as the depth of the ribs 4 at the points where the ribs 5 and 4 intersect each other, and they are of approximately the same thickness as the ribs 4.

Additional strengthening for the member I is provided in the form of a rib 6, which extends substantially transversely of and intersects the forwardly extending ribs 4 of the member I. The rib 6 is of approximately the same depth as the ribs 4 at the points where the ribs 4 and 6 intersect each other, and is of approximately the same thickness as the ribs 4.

The member I is further provided at circumferentially-spaced points with short ribs 7, disposed adjacent the outer edge of the member I, and which ribs have been found to be of some advantage orefiicacy in facilitating removalof the member I from the mold in which it is molded or cast, and also in eliminating warping of the member. The member I is also provided at spaced points with hollow columns or posts I which serve .as-

The lower portion or member 2 of the seat'is of substantially the same thickness as the member I, but its inner and outer marginal portions, 8 and 9 respectively, are made somewhat thinner so as to 'form seats having shoulders II), which aid inlocating the members I and 2 relatively to each other when they are to be assembled.

.The member 2 is provided with a pair of spaced circumferentially-extending reinforcing ribs II and I2, and with pairs of reinforcing ribs I3 which extend substantially radially of the member 2 and intersect the ribs II and I2. Between the ribs of each pair of ribs I3, radially-spaced bosses I4 are prov'ided,'having holes I extending therethrough for the reception of self-tapping screws which are utilized in securing rubberbumpers (not shown) to the lower face of the member 2.

The member 2 is also provided with square or rectangular bosses I8 and I9, to which hinges (not shown) are adapted to be attached.,, The member 2is further provided with cylindrical bosses 29, to which hinges of a different type are adapted to be secured. In assembling the portions I and 2 of the seat, acetone or similar substance used in cementing plastic parts to each other, is applied to the lower edges of the upper portion I, as well as to the lower ends of the columns or posts I, and the partspressed together, thereby permanently-uniting them.

It may be noted, at this point, that when the parts I and 2 are thus 'joined together, the reinwell as the circular ribs 24 and 25. The ribs 24, 25, 26 and 2! are relatively shallow in depth, their lower edges terminating in a plane above the plane of the lower or marginal edges of the member 2|. The ribs 24, 25, 26 and 21 are also relatively thin as compared with the thickness of the member 2 I. They are formed integrally with the member 2| and their thickness is preferably no greater than three-fourths of the thickness of the member 2|.

By utilizing ribs of such thickness, I find that I can virtually eliminate shrinkage marks on the upper surface of the memberZI, which shrinkage marks are often found in plastic articles made by injection molding utilizing reinforcing ribs of greater thickness and depth.

The lower portion or member 22 of the seat cover is of substantially the same thickness as the member 2|, but its .marginal portion 28 is made somewhat thinner, so as to form a seat having forcingribs of the respective members do not, in

any way, touch or interfere with each other. The reinforcing ribs, consequently, do not interfere, in any manner, with th operation of uniting or joining the members I and 2 to each other.

Referring now to Figs. '7 to 12 inclusive, there is disclosed a toilet seat cover or drop lid, comprising an upper portion or member 2| and a lower portion or member 22, cemented together as .at23, these members being separately moulded or cast from plastics-similar to those employed in makin the toilet seat which has been described. a

The upper portion orrmember '26 is made hollow, and of a thickness of the order .of about /8, whereby its weight and the amount of plastic em ployed in making .thesame ismaterially reduced.

26, and with transversely extending straight ribs I Z'Ijtheribs Hand 21 intersecting each other as a shoulder 29, which aids in locating the members 2| and 22 relatively to each other when they are to be assembled.

For the purpose of strengthening the member 22 of the seat cover, it is provided with a pair .of circular ribs 3 and 3| which intersect each other, with longitudinally extending straight ribs 32, and with transversely extending straight ribs 33, the ribs 32 and 33 intersecting each other as well as the circular ribs '3 and 3|. The ribs 30, 3|, 32 and 33 are relatively shallow in depth, and are also relatively thin as compared with the thickness of the member 22. They are formed integrally with the member 22 andtheir thickness no greater than three-fourths of the thickness of the member 22.

The member 22 is also provided with square or rectangular bosses 34and 35, to which hinges, not shown, are. adapted to be attached. Cylindrical bosses '36 'are' also provided, which are adapted for the attachment thereto of a different type of hinge.

'In assembling the portions 2| and 22 of the seat cover, acetone or the like is applied to the lower or marginal edges of themember 2 I, and the parts pressed together, thereby permanently uniting them.

Here again, it may be noted that when the members 2| and 22 are thus joined together, the reinforcing ribs of the respective members do not in any way interfere with each other.

It is thus seen that I have provided a plastic toilet seat, light in weight, of rugged and durable construction, having reinforcing ribs designed to eleminate warping of theseat'as well as to avoid shrinkage marks which are usually formed during cooling of molded plastic articles, and which consists of aminimum number of parts which can be quickly-and easily assembled.

The term toilet seat,.as herein employed, is to beconstrued to include toilet seat covers, insofar as the toilet seat and toilet seat covers have common features of construction.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example .of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A toilet seat of the character describedmomprising moulded plastic upper andlowermembers secured togetherattheir marginal edge portions,

said upper member having reinforcing ribs which are relatively shallow in depth and terminate UNITED STATES PATENTS short of a plane defined by the marginal edges of said upper member, said ribs being in non-conzg b B f 31 tacting relationship with the lower member, said 1 588019 i e g 1926 ribs extending substantially radially of the upper 5 6 g Ma 1927 member and having recesses in their lower edges, 1 s h e 0 g 1941 whereby the ribs are of truss-like contour. 6 War z C 2. A toilet seat, as defined in claim 1, in which FOREIGN PATENTS said upper member is provided with ribs which extend transversely of and intersect said radially- 10 extending ribs, and extend downwardly to planes defined by the lower edges of said radiallyextending ribs.

Number Country Date 424,421 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1935 110,261 Australia Mar. 28, 1940 ELMER ROCKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

